Lightened construction for rail joints



19294 c. A? DISBROW 1,713,425

' flED CON I 2 s eeee S-sh t 1 III! / In 6Q 92 ,1929- ROW 1,713,425

Patented May 14, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARKSON A. DI ESBROW', OF ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE RAIL JOINT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N.

Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LIGHTENED CONSTRUCTION FOR RAIL JOINTS.

This invention relates to that type of rail joints wherein provision is made for an economical distribution of metal to render the bar comparatively light and yet possessing adequate strength and stiffness for carrying the loading strains and stresses from the head to the foot portion of the bar.

Several types of construction have heretofore been designed and used having the same general objects in View, but the presentinvention aims to provide a novel formation which can be embodied preferably in a rolled joint or splice bar and which will effect a "ery economical use of metal, particularly throughout the region of the longitudinal neutral axis of the bar where the metal can best be spared. At the same time the inven-' tion provides for a novel reinforcement of the bar that will compensate for the lightening of the web, and to so arrange the rein forcementas to enable the bar to easily carry the loads and stresses. Further, the invention contemplates a novel structural formation throughout the web portion of the bar that will not only materially lighten the bar and reduce its weight, resulting in a reduced cost, but will also contribute materially to its flexibility so that the bar will more readily adapt itself to the rail wave motion without danger of breakage.

\Vith the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional perspective view showing the inside face of a bar embodying the present improvements.

Fig. 2 is a bottom'plan view of the base flange of the bar.

Fig. 3 is asectional perspective view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified arrangement. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View of the base flange shown in Fig. 3, illustrating the modified arrangement of reinforcing elements.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The present invention proposes to redistribute and relocate the metal in a rail joint bar having alightened web in such'a way that the major reducement occurs adjacent the medial portion of the bar, that is, in the zone of the horizontal neutralaxis of thebar. lVhile the invention thus described may be embodied in joint bars of various cross-sectional shape, nevertheless, for the purposes of illustration, the drawings show a conventional shape embod ing an upright web 1, the head 2, preferab y of the reinforced type with the outer reinforcing rib 3, and the foot fla lige 4 which overlies the base flange of the rar Accordingly, the invention is'more specifically concerned with the distribution of metalthroughout the web portion of the bar and its reinforcement between the top and bottom chords of the bar toward the horizontal neutral axis thereof.

To that end the bar is made preferably by subjecting it to the Various ing mill sothat in the final shape as it issues from the final pass of the mill the web of the bar 1 is of a subnormal thickness. That is, of a materially less thickness than the normal thickness of standard angle bars or standard joint bars, and a major reducement in the thickness of the web occurs throughout the region of the horizontal neutral axis of the bar indicated generally by the line NA, being the region of the bar where metal can best be spared without being subjected to either compression or tension strains. This major reducement is rendered possible by the special form of the reinforcing elements 5 which are formed integrally with the bar dur-' ing the rolling operation.

As shown in Fig. l'of the drawings these reinforcing elements are illustrated as being of graduated thickness and in the form selected for illustration are preferably of a triangular or tapering shape extending respectively downwardly from the head of the bar and upwardly from the inside of the foot of the bar tov the region of the neutral axis of the web; These triangular or tapering re inforcements 5 are heaviest adjacent the top and'bottom'chords of the bar and gradually diminish in both width andthickness toward themedial line or neutral axis of the baras at 6 and in the form shown in Fig. 1 are joined or connected in a single integral formation.

The feature of lightening the bar may be further carried into effect in the foot flange passes of a roll- 4. That is to say, the underside of the off set foot flange of the bar maybe provided with a series of depressions producinga subnormal thickness of foot flange and the reinforcements 5 -which may beof substantially triangular formation and of gradually diminishing thickness from the bottom and outer chords of the bar toward the medial portion thereof to produce the formation.

shown in Fig. 2. This construction materially reduces the metal in the foot flange-of the bar without in any way sacrificing its strength or rigidity and at the same time provides adequate bearing contact between the foot flange of the bar and the'baseflango of the rail.

By way of illustrating the range ofmodification of- ,the invention, reference may. be made toFigs 3 and l of the drawings, wherein the reinforcements or nibs extending from the top and bottom chords of the ba-rtow'ard the horizontal neutral axis are arranged in staggered, relation and, unconnected. These reinforcements are designated as 7 and 8 respectively at the top, and bottom of'the web andare also of progressively tapered former t-ion and diminishing thickness from the chord portions of the: bar, toward the menialline of theweb. With this formation-the feature of providing the major rcducement inthe zone of the horizontalneutral. axis of the 7 bar is preserved.

The same-features of: construction may be carried out inthe foot flange 4'? of the bar as illustratediinllligh l. In this figure the substantially triangular reinforcing fillets 7 and. 8 are arranged in alternate or staggered re- .lation and extend from tllObOt'tOlIl chord of the bar and the outer. chordnof the bar inwardly. toward the medial sectionof the foot,

flange, thereby preserving the full; strength and stiffness thereof and without sacrificing the clamping effect of the foot; flange of the bar withfreference to, the base flanges of the rail. 7

Without further description it is thought that'the features a'nd advantages of the invention will be readily, apparent to. those skilled iuthe. art, and itwill of, course-be understood that. changes in the fornnpropc-ir- 2. A rail joint bar includinga web having: displacements of metaliproducing graduated. triangular reinforcements extending toward.

the medial portion of the bar fromthe top and bottom chords thereof scope ofvv the appended;

3. A railjoint bar including a web having displacements of metal producing graduated triangular reinforcements having their apices extending toward the medial portion of the bar from the' top and bottom chords thereof, said reinforcements being of gradually diminishing thickness toward the neutral axis of the bar.

i. A rail joint bar including a web having displacements of metal producing a plurality of reinforcing elements formed. between the top and bottom chords of the bar and the web, said reinforcing elements being; of minimum thickness adjacent the horizontal neutral axis of the web. V

5 A rolled rail joint bar includinga web having displacements of metal producing a plurality of reinforcing ribs extending from the top and bottom chords of the bar toward the horizontal. neutral. axis thereof, and said ribs-being of taperingformation and gradually diminishing thickness toward the horizontal neutral axis of the bar.

6. A'rolled rail joint bar including a web having displacementsof metal in one face thereof and arranged to provide stiffening ribs progressively diminishing in thickness fromt-he top and. bottom chords of the bar toward the horizontal neutral axis thereof.

7. A rolled. rail joint bar including aweb having displacements of metal arranged to produce reinforcing elements adjacent the top'and bottomichords of the bar whereby the major reducement in the thickness of the web occurs in the region of thehorizontal neutral axis of. the barn. V

8. A rolled rail; joint bar including a. web havingdisplacements of metal producing triangular reinforcements extending toward eachother from opposite chords of the bar and connectedin a single integral formation.

9. A rolled railjoint bar. including a Web h aving. displacements of metalproducing triangular reinforcements of gradually diminishingthickness extending toward-each other from opposite chords of-the ban and connected in a single integral formation. 7 .7

10. Ina rolled rail joint; bar, the combination of a webandafoot flange both having displacements of metal producing. reinforcements extending from the chord portionsof the bar respectively toward the medialportions of the web and the foot flange.

11. In a rolledrailijoint bar, the combination of a web and a foot flange havingv displacements ofmetal at their inner faces and providing reinforcements extending from the chords of the bar respectively toward the medial portions-of the-web and foot flange, said reinforcements being of. gradually diminish ing thickness towardthemedialportions of thebar. Iii-testimony whereof I hereunto afliX my signature.

" GLARKSONA, DISBROW. 

